Keeping up with the latest Weather updates can help reduce risks to lives and property. People can prepare by monitoring trusted news and weather sources, as well as emergency alerts through NYC’s Notify NYC system. People should stay indoors where possible and be aware of their surroundings when outdoors. New Yorkers living in flood-prone areas should also make sure they know if and when to evacuate their homes.
Using the most recent data, scientists can now reliably predict the location and strength of storms with high precision. They can also estimate the extent of flooding and potential damage from thunderstorms, heavy rainfall or snowstorms. These forecasts are crucial to inform societal decisions such as school closings, highway closures or public pool opening times. They are also important to individuals and businesses preparing for travel or planning outdoor events such as weddings and concerts.
Modern weather forecasts are more than five times as accurate as they were 40 years ago. Still, the quality gap remains large between high- and low-income countries. This is unsurprising: poorer nations have fewer land-based instruments and radiosondes, and are less likely to report their weather forecasts.
For example, an incorrect temperature forecast can be particularly deadly. People are more likely to die from heat than cold, and it is easier for them to succumb quickly to heatstroke. In contrast, death by cold is slow and occurs more gradually. Despite this, until recently, researchers weren’t sure whether temperature forecasts had any real impact.